We don’t entertain because our place is too small (1 BR condo my GF and I share). I have a few NYC appartment dwelling friends who do throw parties from time to time. Typically they live in a 3 BR with two other guys so they have the room. More often, people get together in restaurants, bars or lounges for socializing.
It seems to me that “entertaining” is more common out in the burbs where people have houses. They generally have fewer bars out there and they tend to be sketchier. Not to mention if you can drink at home and not have to drive anywhere, that’s always a plus.
Hmm. I think I’ve had two actual invite people type parties. We have friends over all the time- usually three times or so a week, and anywhere between one and eight people. These are, however, our ‘You know where the damn glasses are’ friends.
We don’t have much space, and I don’t have fancy dinnerware. I love having people over, though. Especially if they wash dishes after I cook dinner.
We have a one-bedroom apartment, quite small, and we had fourteen people over for drinks and finger food a few weeks ago. I was astonished that everyone fit.
We have family and friends over about 2-3 times a month. This month has been unusually busy - we had family stay over the weekend, family is here now until tomorrow, then more family next week from Monday to Wednesday. We generally only have about 2-3 parties per year, but we have small groups of people over far more frequently than that.
Our various sets of friends entertain about 1-2 times a year each as well, so we usually go to a party about once a month, usually more around Halloween and the various winter holidays.
I love entertaining, though it’s a lot different with an almost toddler than it was when we didn’t have kids, obviously. My attention is far more split than it used to be, so it’s fun but not quite as much fun because mentally I’m a bit more absent, but I’m sure that’ll change when he can be trusted not to chew on power cords.
Our entertainment schedule is erratic – from August through December last year I hosted 6 or 8 dinner parties and I thought I might go insane. But reasons kept coming up.
Sadly, “entertaining” is a meme that is firmly stuck in the members of my generation (I’m 48). I used to watch my mother run frantically around the house like a greyhound on amphetamines getting ready for big parties at our house, and I swore I would NEVER do that dumb thing.
And yet, I do (albeit as infrequently as possible). And all my friends do as well. Then you have to reciprocate, so it turns into a truly vicious cycle.
The best parties are the ones that just happen because a few friends stop by on the way home from work, then another friend calls and you say “hey, join us” and you eat leftover chips and dips out of a Tupperware container.
Actually, I think your own post answered a bit of the question. They’re not in desperate need of day-to-day stuff. What they’re looking for are the types of things that they’ll want every now and then. I’ve got one set of everyday glassware and dishes and another set of nicer items. I hate spending money on the things I only use a few times a year, if that.
My entertaining varies widely from year to year. I’ll have people over several times a year in one year, often in another, and rarely in another. But, I like having an ok selection of appropriate items to use when I have groups over.
If I want to replace my day-to-day stuff, I’d rather wait for a good sale and then do it.
We throw one big party a year, usually a cocktail party with a theme. Really, I like to have a chance to try out new recipes and decorate, and I go all out - party favors and everything. Well, okay, I go “all out” for everything. I had my mom and 90 year old grandfather over easter morning and it turned from “come over for a cup of coffee” into crab asparagus omelets and a homebaked coffeecake. With a centerpiece. :o It’s a sickness, I can’t help it. But our house, while not large, is good for entertaining. It has vaulted ceilings and doors out onto a patio so it feels larger and it’s easy for people to mingle. They still coagulate in the kitchen though :rolleyes: . And Jellychick LOVES to clean, so that helps a lot. I make messes and she cleans them.
Well you guys have inspired me! I am going to “entertain” some folks in a couple weeks in honor of my brother’s 30th birthday. No formal invites, just phone calls.
We like to have people over for dinner every so often, but we don’t often throw big parties. One problem is that we own 5 chairs, so it’s a little difficult to have more than 2 people over at a time. We need to fix that!
When we still lived in the states, my wife and I liked to entertain about twice a month. Usually it was 4-6 friends for drinks, maybe dinner, sometimes we’d play cards or have drinks and go out to dinner. We live in the city (Washington), if that matters. It’s a little easier to entertain when everyone lives a few blocks from each other.
We don’t really have fancy events, but it is nice to have decent serving bowls, plates, etc. for company. For us, that means matching flatware, unchipped plates, and candles. For me, having people over and making it somewhat special is one of the nice things about being an adult.
